Through the Eyes of a Warrior
by OTS
Summary: This is the story of Halo 2 through the eyes of a certain Elite that most of us have come to love. Read and review, the summary is not the best. Rated T just to be safe.
1. The Heretic

**Chapter 1: The Heretic**

A golden-armored Sangheili warrior, known to humans as an "Elite," stood outside the main council chamber aboard the ship, _High Charity_, awaiting his fate. It had been his job, _his duty_, to ensure that the Sacred Ring remained safe. All had been well, and work proceeded smoothly—that is, until the parasitic life-form referred to as "The Flood" was released. The wretched creatures had nearly been the death of them all. Even the fabled Special Operations Commander, Rtas 'Vadumee, came out of the struggle battle-weary, and missing half of his left mandibles.

"Supreme Commander Orna 'Fulsamee," a Sangheili sporting jet black armor said, brining Fulsamee back to the present. "The council is ready for you." The officer did not avert his eyes like one was required to do while in the presence of a higher ranking warrior, but instead, stared directly at him, seemingly annoyed. If a soldier positioned to guard the chamber was agitated, 'Fulsamee could only imagine what it would be like once _inside_ it. _Now is not the time to_ _concern myself with such trivial matters,_ he reminded himself silently. _There will be more to worry about if I am late. _The council doors glowed a bright purple, and, as if aware of him standing there, opened to reveal a site that made 'Fulsamee's stomach twist slightly in fear. A dozen Sangheili honor guards stood on either side of the chamber, staves held tightly in their hands, eyes staring straight ahead. They were proud members of the Covenant, and were among the highest ranking soldiers. In the stands sat several minor prophets and Sangheili council members, their ornate armor and clothing stood out in the midst of all the purple. In the right corner nearest to him, he spotted, with some disdain, the Jiraelhenae, or "Brute", leader, Tartarus. 'Fulsamee continued to walk, with some grace, over to the far end of the room, where two high prophets sat, their whispers barely heard over the din of the chamber. The third was present only by means of a hologram, but he was present nonetheless.

Truth, Mercy, and Regret. Each prophet sat on a finely crafted gravity throne, which were slightly different colors according to the Hierarch's status. The high prophet of Truth raised his hand; a signal for silence, and addressed the hesitant gold armored warrior directly.

"Supreme Commander Orna 'Fulsamee. You have been called before this council to discuss as to why you were…unsuccessful in protecting the Sacred Ring, Halo." Up in the stands a pair of Sangheili whispered furiously to each other, but 'Fulsamee steadfastly ignored them. He had prepared a speech to convince the council otherwise, but, failing that, he would at least try to persuade them that it was not entirely his fault.

"Yes Excellency, you see I-" The prophet of Mercy cut him off with a wave of his withered hand.

"We have no time in this council for petty excuses, Supreme Commander. What of the other human ships? Did those escape your grasp as well, and also land on the Sacred Ring?" 'Fulsamee bristled, and stood up straighter.

"There was only _one_ ship," he corrected.

"One?" Truth inquired, somewhat surprised. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," 'Fulsamee said, racking his memory. "They called it… _The Pillar of Autumn_."

"Why was it not destroyed, with the rest of their fleet?" Mercy exclaimed angrily, banging a fist on his chair. The Ship Master cringed; he had to remember that these prophets, these _Hierarchs_, controlled what little authority he had left. His fate was literally in their hands.

"It fled, as we set fire to their planet. But I followed with all the ships in my command," he added, noting the look on the council members' faces; that of deepest loathing. The Prophet of Truth studied him silently as Regret took up the conversation.

"When you first saw Halo, were you blinded by its majesty?"

"Blinded?" 'Fulsamee was confused.

"Paralyzed? Dumbstruck?" Regret offered.

"No." When the Sacred Ring had first appeared on the _Particular Justice's_ view screen, he had been fascinated yes, awestruck at the sheer scale of it, but he did not allow this "Halo" to distract him from his duties.

"Yet the humans were able to evade your ships," Regret continued angrily, "land on the Sacred Ring, and desecrate it with their filthy footsteps?" 'Fulsamee began to feel desperate. Would they not understand?

"Noble Hierarchs," he said urgently, "surely you understand that once the parasite attacked—" His last comment proved to be unpopular, and this one heralded similar results. The Supreme Commander glanced around the chamber at the outraged council members, some of which were on their feet protesting.

"There will be order in this council!" Mercy shouted. Truth raised both hands once again, indicating silence.

"You were right to focus your attention on the flood, but this demon, this Master Chief…" He left the sentence hanging.

"By the time I learned the Demon's intent, there was nothing I could do," 'Fulsamee said solemnly. There were more outbursts from the stands. It seemed to 'Fulsamee that this matter had to be resolved quickly; otherwise the Hierarchs would lose control over their council. Regret seemed to be thinking along the same lines, as he leaned over to the prophet of Truth and whispered furiously;

"Prophet of Truth, this has gone on long enough. Make an example of this bungler, the council demands it!"

"You are one of our most treasured instruments," Truth said, cushioning the words, so that they did not sound so harsh. "Long have you led your fleet with honor and distinction. But your inability to safeguard Halo…was a colossal failure." A minor prophet stood up in the stands off to his left.

"Nay, it was heresy!" The rest of the council was a roar of angry yells of agreement. 'Fulsamee looked worriedly around the chamber.

"I _will_ continue my campaign against the humans!"

"No, you will not," Truth said, signaling to Tartarus; who in turn alerted two other Jiralhanae in his native tongue. The two simian-like creatures moved forward towards ,Fulsamee, ready to take him to a holding cell. But as they neared him, he glared harshly at them, raising his arms slightly; and he saw with some satisfaction, that they backed up. The two Jiralhanae looked at each other, then one signaled for ,Fulsamee to follow them, which he did grudgingly.

"Soon the Great Journey shall begin," Truth said as ,Fulsamee exited the chamber. "But when it does, the weight of your heresy will stay your feet, and you shall be left behind.


	2. The Mark of Shame

**Chapter 2: The Mark of Shame**

"_Soon the Great Journey will begin. But when it does, the weight of your heresy will stay your feet, and you shall be left behind."_

The High Prophet of Truth's last words circled throughout Orna 'Fulsamee's head, taunting him; annoying and relentless. He shook his head and sighed as it mercifully cleared. The two Jiralhanae had "escorted" him to one of the prisoner of war holding cells, designed to withstand humans and other smaller Covenant—not Sangheili. But minor adjustments had been made, and a shield had been equipped. 'Fulsamee had tested the shield by pounding a fist on it, and had found it highly resistant.

"Sangheili scum!" A voice rasped from the far corner of the cell. Ah yes, his cell-mate. The Kig-Yar had earlier spoken harsh words of heresy, and had rightly paid the price for them. No doubt he was at it again. The Kig-Yar, named Shi-Kar, lay on the ground, struggling to get up. Shi-Kar's right arm hung limp at his side, and his left leg was twisted at an unnatural angle. The vaguely bird-like creature said in the same scratchy voice;

"Your kin claim superiority, but you fail to realize what is happening with our system. The Prophets assert themselves as the messengers of the Forerunners, calling all who don't follow the path to the Great Journey, 'heretics'." Shi-Kar paused for effect. "…But it is _they _who are betraying us. They are false, Sangheili, and your kin who are "elite" in every category, surpass all other members of the Covenant in intellect, fail to recognize the heresy that is taking place within our own hierarchy!" 'Fulsamee stiffened, amber eyes flashing dangerously. He grabbed the Kig-Yar by the throat and shoved him against the wall.

"Your heretical words are like poison, _Jackal_," he snarled, using the name the humans had given to the Kig-Yar species. Shi-Kar clicked his beak angrily and struggled to pry the Sangheili's hands from his neck. 'Fulsamee tightened his grip, and started to cut off the Kig-Yar's air supply. "And the poison infects my blood with rage and hatred," he continued. "You continue to speak lies when they accomplish nothing save for angering me further!"

"Are you so blind, Sangheili, that you refuse to see the truth?" Shi-Kar gasped. 'Fulsamee's only answer was to squeeze harder. The Kig-Yar considered the golden-armored warrior's silence. "Then you shall all perish," he said at last, his body going limp. The Sangheili tossed the now deceased Shi-Kar aside in disgust. The Kig-Yar's words had unnerved him. Not because of their heresy, but because of their content, and the meaning behind them. Did that scum actually know more than he did, or was he boasting simply to aggravate? He certainly seemed adamant about his accusations of heresy within their government and hierarchy system. 'Fulsamee snorted. It was not his job to worry about political matters, no matter how much they unsettled him. The sudden shimmering of the cell's plasma shield brought 'Fulsamee out of his thoughts. He noted, with distaste, two Jiralhanae standing outside of the cell. The larger of the two beckoned to him.

"Come," he grunted, "your public humiliation awaits."

--

'Fulsamee's hands clenched as the large doors hummed and opened to allow the three figures through. The two Jiralhanae snorted, and led the Sangheili through a crowd of jeering spectators. Kig-Yar, Unggoy, and even Lekgolo lined the path that led to a platform overlooking the holy city of High Charity. 'Fulsamee tried to ignore the taunts and yells of the Covenant, but several comments of: "Heretic! Heretic! Heretic!" stirred his blood endlessly. He walked a bit further, coming to a stop at the edge of the platform. Fulsamee glanced disdainfully at the thousands of Covenant cheering in the stands below. He was about to turn around when the two Jiralhanae grabbed his arms, and placed his hands in floating restraints that were attached to two large pillars. 'Fulsamee shifted angrily as the two simian-like creatures backed off.

"You've drawn quite a crowd," Tartarus commented ruefully, walking up to the edge of the platform.

"If they came to hear me beg," Fulsamee growled, "they will be disappointed." Tartarus pushed a button on the control panel in front of him.

"Are you sure?" The blue rings that encircled his arms started to glow dangerously, and a red beam of energy lanced down across both of 'Fulsamee's arms. His shields flickered, then died, and he felt the beam burning into his flesh. He gritted his teeth and snarled defiantly. Tartarus grinned as the beams reached a new intensity. 'Fulsamee winced, but did not utter a sound. It was a battle of will, in which the weaker would lose more than his pride. The Sangheili's hands balled into fists as he waited...and waited.

--

_Clank!_ The sound of metal hitting metal echoed over the din of the Covenant spectators. 'Fulsamee, who was up until then, barely aware of his surroundings, glanced up in surprise. He found himself staring at his helmet; once so pristine and in perfect condition; now charred black from the sheer heat of the energy beam. Two Jiralhanae had long since removed the rest of his armor, and his skin was left exposed. Though the beams had stopped their torturous burning, 'Fulsamee knew there was more to come, else Tartarus would not have been grinning so wickedly. The Jiralhanae leader reached behind himself and brought out a long, thick, wooden staff. At the end of the staff was a claw-like opening, and inside of it, a strange Covenant text. The text glowed a bright orange, and seemed to hiss angrily at 'Fulsamee as Tartarus drew dramatically closer. The Sangheili used what remained of his strength to lift his head up. Tartarus paused and glanced at the staff in his hands, then with a grunt, shoved the searing hot wood onto 'Fulsamee's chest. It was too much for the already exhausted warrior, and he cried out in pain, forgetting that he was being watched by thousands of Covenant soldiers. When the staff was at last removed, 'Fulsamee's vision started to fade, and he welcomed the darkness that had finally come to consume him.

--

**A/N:** Chapter two is what happens _before _our faithful Arby was branded a heretic. Well, and after, I guess. Sorry this took a bit to update, the next chapter should be coming relatively quickly. Halo and all its contents are copyrighted to Bungie and Microsoft. (Edit: Punctuation and grammatical errors have been corrected. The story is now as is should be.)

Just a Reminder:

Kig-Yar: Jackal

Sangheili: Elite

Lekgolo: Hunter

Unggoy: Grunt

Shi-Kar, by the way, is pronounced "Sure-Car."


	3. The Arbiter

**Chapter 3: The Arbiter**

_He had succeeded. Today was the day that Commander 'Fulsamee had been promoted to _Supreme Commander _Orna Fulsamee. The Sangheili loved the way it sounded as he spoke it in the guttural tone of their language. His final assignment of the day was to locate and exterminate a group of Covenant soldiers that had rebelled against their hierarchy; _heretics_, the High Prophets had called them. Supreme Commander 'Fulsamee clicked his mandibles excitedly; he had not had much action the whole day, and was looking forward to the coming moment of triumph. The Phantom circled once over the rocky fields, then pulled to a stop and hovered in mid-air. The Sangheili's COM channel crackled to life as the pilot gave his aerial report. _

"_No sign of the heretics spotted, Excellency, though they may have hidden in the rocks once they spotted our phantom." One of the Sangheili in standing next to 'Fulsamee snorted disdainfully. _

"_Cowards," he growled. 'Fulsamee grinned, and stepped forth to give his troops a parting message. _

"_The enemies we hunt down today will be different from what we have faced in the past. They are our kin, yet at the same time, are nothing like us. They spread lies about our Great Journey, and are trying to uproot the Hierarchs. We have been given reports that they are carrying a holy Forerunner device with them, no doubt designed to assist them with their heresy. There is a structure, not far from we are landing, in which the heretics are planning on taking their artifact. We _must not _let them succeed! At all costs, we must retrieve the artifact, and quell this heresy before it has time to spread." He paused for effect. "I bid you good luck, my brothers!" The many Sangheili within the phantom's compartment roared their approval, and one by one, exited the phantom via the ship's gravity lift.' Fulsamee was the last to leave. Before dropping down, he turned to the pilot. _

"_Give me regular aerial reports; I want to be able to find and silence these traitors quickly. I don't know what exactly they are up to, but whatever it is, I've got a bad feeling about it," 'Fulsamee said seriously. _

"_Yes Excellency," the pilot replied. The Supreme Commander nodded once to indicate that he heard, then dropped down through the gravity lift, using his momentary height to gain some insight as to what their battlefield looked like. Bare grey rocks stretched as far as the eye could see; some nearly as large as the phantom itself. The land stretched out before him was a vast, desolate one, save for the single structure in the center of the field. As 'Fulsamee's feet touched the ground, he was struck with an idea. It was so simplistic, yet at the same time, it was a move worthy of a master tactician. _

"'_Tolkamee," the Sangheili ordered over the COM. "Take 'Kekamee's energy blade and four grenades, lay down on the ground, don't move, and await my orders." There was a pause, then;_

"…_Yes…Excellency." 'Fulsamee glance at his motion detector. _There!_ A flash of yellow appeared several paces to his left. 'Fulsamee put his back to a large boulder, and inched around it, sighing in relief when he spotted 'Tolkamee lying on his back. The other Sangheili stood around him, confusion plain on their faces. 'Fulsamee felt a moment of pride. 'Tolkamee was a Sangheili who obeyed orders without question, no matter how ridiculously absurd they sounded. The Supreme Commander stepped forward, the rays of light reflecting off his armor onto the rocks, making inscrutable golden shapes dance across their rough surfaces. He looked, to the other Sangheili, for all in the world like a God come to life. _

"_Take cover behind those rocks," he said. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw 'Tolkamee start to sit up. "No!" he ordered quickly, "stay there 'Tolkamee. I need you to be a decoy for the heretics." He pulled out several plasma grenades, and chuckled at the widened eyes of the lesser. "Trust me," was all 'Fulsamee said. _

"_Yes Excellency," 'Tolkamee replied evenly. The Supreme Commander placed the grenades in a circle around the black-armored Sangheili, taking extreme caution in setting them the correct distance away. Put them too close, and there would be nothing left of his warrior, but put them too far away, and it wouldn't be nearly as convincing. 'Fulsamee bent down and activated a single grenade. The plasma weapon whined insistently as its automatic detonation timer started to count down. The Supreme Commander dove behind a rock, just as the grenade count reached "one," then—the Sangheili gritted his mandibles as the grenade triggered a chain reaction as it detonated, creating a dozen more thundering explosions. Small chunks of rock rained down on the Sangheili's armor before silence descended upon them. 'Fulsamee uttered a single word over his COM channel. _

"_Wait." It was not long before several grey dots appeared on his motion sensor, slowly making their way towards their hiding place. He strained his ears, and heard the muted crunch of Sangheili boots on gravel, and the excited chattering of a group of nervous Unggoy. The six Sangheili warriors hiding behind the rocks all glanced at the Supreme Commander, who held up his hand – they needed to wait for the opportune moment. A few seconds later, it was quite obvious that the group had found 'Tolkamee. Fulsamee only prayed that his warrior would remain silent and still._

"_Another servant of the Prophets, Excellency," one of the Sangheili growled. 'Fulsamee bristled as another warrior chuckled. _

"_No doubt sent to exterminate us! I wonder what went astray to have caused this Sangheili to end up as he did."_

"_Let us find out, brother…" the first said. At that moment, 'Fulsamee gave the signal, and seven fully armed Sangheili warriors stepped out from behind the rocks, surrounding the heretics. 'Fulsamee snarled, and grabbed his blade off of his belt. _

"_By order of the noble Prophets of Truth, Mercy, and Regret, you are hereby sentenced to death." He activated his energy blade with a hiss, and one by one, the six other Sangheili followed his lead. "Hand over the artifact heretics, and your death will be quick and painless." The heretics looked stunned, then one stepped up. _

"_You are too late, servant of the Prophets! Our leader has already gone to the sacred temple. You will never make it in time." 'Fulsamee growled angrily, rushed forwards, and shoved his energy blade through the heretic's chest. The blade protruded through the Sangheili's body, purple blood dripping slowly off of its tips. The warrior looked down in surprise._

"_Take them!" 'Fulsamee shouted, as he pulled his blade from the heretic. The other Sangheili charged forwards, energy blades in hand, and slashed through the enemy forces. 'Tolkamee sat up, and from his view point, noticed something that the others had not. A single Sangheili fled from the battle scene, carrying with him a small object. The artifact! 'Fulsamee cut down an Unggoy that had tried to escape the fray, watching with grim satisfaction as the former Covenant's blood spilled from its body, staining the rocks a bright blue. _

"_Excellency!" 'Tolkamee's voice sounded over the COM. "A Sangheili is making his way towards the Forerunner structure; he has the artifact. There is still time to stop him!" The Supreme Commander froze, and sure enough, when he looked over towards the structure, he saw the coward running for the entrance. _

"_Stay here and wait for my return, 'Tolkamee!" 'Fulsamee shouted into his COM over the din of the battle. _

"_Yes Excellency," 'Tolkamee said out loud, but the Supreme Commander was already out of earshot._

'_Fulsamee snarled angrily as he ran after the heretic. The whole battle had just been a diversion so that their leader could escape with the artifact! It had almost worked, but thanks to 'Tolkamee's keen eyesight, 'Fulsamee would not let the traitor succeed. The Sangheili glanced up as a shadow blocked out the planet's sun. Ahead loomed a large, ancient-looking structure—its pointed top seemed to extend up into the clouds. The structure was not unlike one of the holy machines that Fulsamee had worked with before: a scarab, as the humans called it. The top of the structure opened suddenly: a bright blue energy beam charged within its depths, and then shot up into the sky. Within moments, the energy beam dissipated, and the top closed innocently, looking as if nothing had ever happened. 'Fulsamee shook his head, and focused his attention on the heretic. The traitor had, so far, not seen the Supreme Commander follow him, and he entered the building without once looking back. 'Fulsamee glanced around him, making sure that this was not an ambush, then ran quickly towards the structure. The grey door, made of some unknown material, had odd markings carved into it that, for some reason that the Sangheili could not fathom, looked familiar. As he reached out to touch the symbols, the door shuddered, and opened for him silently. 'Fulsamee stepped inside and peered around warily as the door behind him shut soundlessly. There were several large pillars that were spaced randomly within the structure, along with numerous objects whose purpose was beyond the intelligence of the Supreme Commander. Against the far wall was a ramp that spiraled upward to the very top of the building. Since the heretic was nowhere to be seen, 'Fulsamee surmised that he had gone higher, and resolved to do so himself. Nevertheless, he kept a watchful eye on his surroundings as he sprinted across the room and leaped up onto the ramp. _

_The ramp seemed to spiral upwards in an endless circle, and by the time Fulsamee reached the top, he estimated that at least a quarter of a unit had elapsed. The Supreme Commander spotted a door directly across from where he was standing. The door had already been opened, and what was even more unusual were the voices that were emanating from the room within it. 'Fulsamee walked quietly over to the door, put his back to the wall next to it, and grabbed the energy blade from his belt. _

"_Do you have the artifact, 'Sherk'aumee?" The deep voice, sporting the slight gurgle of a Sangheili, came from inside the room. 'Fulsamee's eyes narrowed as he recognized the next voice to be the heretic's. _

"_Yes Excellency, as you ordered." _So that Sangheili is not the heretic leader, but only his follower, _Fulsamee thought_. That must mean that the voice….that other Sangheili must be their true leader. No matter, I shall dispose of them both. '_Fulsamee stepped into the room and gasped at the sight that greeted his eyes: In the center of the room was the cause of the energy beam he had seen earlier. The object was triangular, nearly eight meters in length, and over nine meters tall. Sections of the object were transparent, and glowed a faint blue. The object hummed loudly, making the room sound as if it was a hanger bay full of ships. Off to the left of 'Fulsamee hovered a Seraph Fighter—one of the fastest space combat ships the Covenant possessed. Standing next to the Seraph Fighter were two Sangheili. 'Fulsamee recognized the smaller one, 'Sherk'aumee as the other called him, to be the heretic that had led him here; but the second warrior looked unfamiliar. In fact, he did not look like any Sangheili 'Fulsamee had ever seen, heretic or otherwise. He wore dark red armor that looked to be nearly as ancient as the structure that the Supreme Commander stood in. A device rested on his back, and looked like the hover packs that the Sangheili wore when they had missions in space. Judging by his stature, and the way he carried himself proudly, 'Fulsamee assumed that he had just found the heretic leader. 'Sherk'aumee spotted the Supreme Commander standing directly across from them, and clicked his mandibles in annoyance. _

"_You are persistent Supreme Commander," he gurgled, "but you are also outnumbered two to one, and you forget that we have the artifact." 'Fulsamee bristled, activated his energy blade with a violent hiss, and dashed forwards. 'Sherk'aumee only had time to pull out a plasma rifle and fire several misplaced shots before the Supreme Commander shoved his blade into the chest of the heretic. The heretic leader chuckled as 'Fulsamee withdrew his blade from the Sangheili's limp body, and grabbed the glowing artifact from his belt._

"_You are not as incapable as 'Sherk'aumee thought," he said, activating the Seraph Fighter's ramp and stepping onto it. "Perhaps he misjudged you, Supreme Commander."_

"_Turn and fight, Heretic," 'Fulsamee snarled, gripping his blade harder. The heretic leader nodded, and backed further up the ramp._

"_In time, it will come to that," he said gravely, "but for now, my mission is incomplete. I have a feeling we will meet again, Supreme Commander." The heretic leader entered the Seraph Fighter, and moments later, the small ship rumbled and started to move towards 'Fulsamee. The Sangheili braced himself for impact, but the Seraph Fighter only turned past him, and flew out of the top of the structure as it opened to fire its plasma beam. Within seconds, the air around the Seraph Fighter rippled and distorted as the heretic activated the ship's slipspace capacities, then the Seraph disappeared as the blue plasma beam lanced into the heavens. _

"_The artifact is secure," 'Fulsamee said over the COM, deactivating his blade. "Radio in the Phantom, 'Tolkamee. We have succeeded this day." But even as he said this, the Supreme Commander glanced at the dead heretic, then back up at the sky, and a cold feeling settled in his stomach. Somehow, he too had a feeling that this would not be his last encounter with the heretic leader._

--

'Fulsamee's blurred vision came slowly back into focus. That memory…he had not thought about the incident for so long. The heretic leader had escaped him that day, even though there was little the Sangheili could do about it. His chest ached from the branding, but it was not until 'Fulsamee heard a snort that he realized he was not alone. He looked up, despite the dizziness that washed over him as he did so. Two Jiralhanae were supporting him, as a third, (Fulsamee grimaced as he identified him as Tartarus), led his kin through the hallway.

"How much further must we heft this baggage?" The Jiralhanae on his left complained. "Any cell will do. Why not toss him in with this lot?" He grunted, jerking his head in the direction of three Kig-Yar within a holding cell. The Kig-Yar hissed, and one of them leaped up at the bars. "They could use the meat," the Jiralhanae noted.

"Them?" The second growled angrily. "What about us? My belly aches, and his flesh is seared, just the way I like it." 'Fulsamee bristled, but knew that it would be useless to do anything aside from remaining still. Tartarus rolled his eyes in annoyance, tightening his hold on his legendary Fist of Rukt hammer. His hammer was similar to that of the energy blades that all Sangheili carried: at least, in a sense that it was not a projectile weapon. One blow from the Fist of Rukt, and any member of the Covenant, even Lekgolo, would not live to see another day.

"Quiet!" Tartarus snarled as he neared a locked door and entered the activation code. "You two whimper like Unggoy fresh off the teat! He's not meant for jails. The Hierarchs have something _special_ in mind." The door hummed as it accepted the code, and opened for the four members of the Covenant. The two Jiralhanae dragged 'Fulsamee out onto a platform, standing beside their leader. As the platform descended, the Sangheili got a good look around the enormous chamber. A large building sat in the center, but it was what led up to the structure that caught 'Fulsamee's eye. Sangheili Honor Guards, the most elite members of the Covenant, all stood in a line on both sides of the chamber. Each of the warriors wore ornate armor, and gripped deadly looking energy staves, that had as much power and capability of an energy blade. Wherever Tartarus and his Jiralhanae were taking him, 'Fulsamee guessed that it was somewhere important. The large doors on the front of the building opened, and Tartarus continued to walk inside, falling to his knees in front of two Godly looking figures. The two Jiralhanae stopped behind their leader, and also bowed. "Noble Prophets of Truth and Mercy; I have brought the incompetent," he said, trying to hide his glee.

"You may leave Tartarus," Truth said, waving his hand towards the door. The Jiralhanae chieftain looked up in surprise.

"But, I thought—"

"And take your Jiralhanae with you," the Prophet interrupted. Tartarus looked disappointed, but knew not to disobey a Hierarch, so he turned around.

"Release the prisoner," he grunted. The two Jiralhanae dropped 'Fulsamee, and followed their leader out of the chamber. 'Fulsamee touched the brand on his chest as he, at last, realized where he had been taken. The Prophet of Truth waited until the doors had shut behind the Jiralhanae before speaking.

"The Council decided to have you hung by your entrails and your corpse paraded through the city," he said conversationally. "But, ultimately, the terms of your execution are up to me." 'Fulsamee did not dare look up.

"I am already dead," he said hopelessly.

"Indeed. Do you know where we are?" Truth inquired, gesturing around the room. 'Fulsamee glanced around with slight interest.

"The Mausoleum, of the Arbiter," he replied. Why did the Prophets want to see him here, and not in the council chamber? Truth nodded, and gestured towards the walls again.

"Quite so. Here rests the vanguard of the Great Journey. Every Arbiter from first to last. Each one created and consumed in times of extraordinary crisis." 'Fulsamee knew of the legendary Arbiters. They were proud Sangheili, sworn to protect the Covenant no matter what the cost. But try as he might, he still did not understand the connection between the Arbiters and himself.

"The taming of the Lekgolo," Mercy spoke up for the first time, "the Unggoy rebellion…were it not for the Arbiters, the Covenant would have broken long ago!" The elder Prophet banged a fist on his chair to emphasize his point.

"Even on my knees I do not belong in their presence," 'Fulsamee commented, shaking his head.

"Halo's destruction was your error, and you rightly bear the blame," Truth agreed. "But the Council was . . . overzealous. We know you are no heretic. This is the true face of heresy," he pushed a button on his gravity throne, and a Sangheili in strange armor appeared. "One who would subvert our faith and incite rebellion against the High Council." The Prophet pushed the button near the hologram again, and the Sangheili spoke:

"Our Prophets are false," the Sangheili shouted, "open your eyes, my brothers! They would use the faith of our Forefathers to bring ruin to us all! The Great Journey is a—" Truth tapped the button again, and the heretic disappeared. 'Fulsamee shivered at the sudden familiarity of the Sangheili, but pushed the matter to the back of his mind as the High Prophet spoke again.

"This heretic, and those who follow him, must be silenced." Mercy nodded in agreement at his superior's statement.

"Their slander offends all who walk the path." 'Fulsamee shook his head. What did they expect him to do about the matter? He had the Mark of Shame—the council thought him no better than the heretic who was spreading these lies.

"What use am I?" He pointed out. "I can no longer command ships, lead troops into battle."

"Not as you are," Truth corrected, and 'Fulsamee looked up quickly. "…But, become the Arbiter, and you shall be set loose against this heresy with our blessing." As he said this, a large container pod floated down to the ground. The doors opened, and an intense bright light illuminated the dark chamber. Within it sat ancient-looking silver objects—the holy armor of the Arbiter. 'Fulsamee couldn't believe his luck. But…there was one more issue.

"What of the council?" The Prophet of Mercy floated forth in his throne.

"The tasks you must undertake as the Arbiter are perilous, suicidal! You will die, as each Arbiter has before you," he said forcefully, "the council will have their corpse." 'Fulsamee stood, and walked gracefully over to the container pod, stopping short in front of it. He stared at it for a long moment. To be the Arbiter…it was as much as a burden as it was a blessing, but he didn't have much of a choice. He glanced over at the wall, at the hundreds of tombs of the past Arbiters, and made his decision. 'Fulsamee reached up, grabbed the silver helmet, and placed it on his head. As a Supreme Commander, he had sealed his own fate…but as the Arbiter, he would not fail the Hierarchs again.

"What would you have your Arbiter do?"

--

**A/N:** Another edited chapter. :) Though, you probably wouldn't be able to tell, because the corrections are very minor. Regardless, I'd like to apologize for the length of the chapter. Seven pages on Microsoft Word seemed a little long to me...


	4. Preparations

**Chapter 4: Preparations**

Orna 'Fulsamee, or "the Arbiter" as he was now called, loped through large crowds of Covenant that were lining the halls of High Charity, with an air that demanded respect. What he received was nothing short of his expectations. Heads turned, salutes were given, and curious whispers trailed behind him. The High Prophet of Truth had made it very clear that he was to leave almost immediately, and arranged to have three phantoms prepared for the journey. But for all of Truth's talk, 'Fulsamee was still allowed several units to rest before he was required to head to the city's main hanger bay.

As the Arbiter neared the hanger bay, he spotted two crimson armored Sangheili standing guard outside the doorway. One of the two waved him forwards, allowing him entrance, and the Arbiter nodded in thanks. _Strange_, he thought as he walked through the large, purple tinted doors, _they did not require me to submit my disk confirming my intentions, nor did they check to make sure that I _really was_ Orna 'Fulsamee. Are the security procedures so lax, now? _The Arbiter snorted in disgust. Something strange was afoot, and it troubled him deeply. Once inside, Fulsamee headed straight to the back of the hanger, his eyes drifting from left to right, warily taking in the scenery around him. The room was packed with Huragok—the large bulbous members of the Covenant floated left and right, tending to the ships that required extra parts, or needed repairs.

"Arbiter!" The familiar deep voice of a Sangheili came from his left, startling him out of his thoughts. Fulsamee turned around, and to his surprise, he spotted a jet-black armored Sangheili loping towards him—'Tolkamee. The warrior saluted out of respect for 'Fulsamee, then spoke again: "What forsaken times are these that the Hierarchs have the need to call upon a holy Arbiter?" It was a rhetorical question, but nonetheless, Fulsamee found himself compelled to answer.

"I fear that the heretic rebels have been left alone for too long, brother. Their plans have been carried out for whatever vile thing they wish to accomplish. The High Prophets cannot allow such a rebellion to take place, and who better to send to quell the heresy, than a decommissioned officer with nothing to lose?" The Sangheili shook his head slowly, but left the Arbiter's comment unanswered.

"Come, Arbiter. Let me show you to your Phantoms." 'Tolkamee gestured towards the very back of the hanger, where three Phantoms were being prepped for the mission at hand. The Arbiter followed 'Tolkamee towards the back of the hanger, speaking with him in low tones. "How many warriors did the Hierarchs lend me for this mission?" 'Tolkamee's mandibles drew back in what was undoubtedly a frown.

"I believe that two Sangheili and two Unggoy are to accompany you into the facility, I being one of the mentioned." 'Fulsamee almost grinned. He could sense the slight eagerness that seemed to radiate from the Sangheili. He had apparently not forgotten the first incident in which they had encountered heretics.

"Orna 'Fulsamee. I wondered when you'd decide to make your appearance." The Arbiter glanced up and glimpsed a flash of white from behind one of the Phantoms in front of him. Then, from around the ship's starboard turret, came a Sangheili in impressive white armor, the half-mandibles on the left side of his face gnashing together in obvious annoyance.

"Commander Rtas 'Vadumee," 'Fulsamee noted with distaste, "I was not informed that you would be partaking in this mission." 'Vadumee's green eyes glittered strangely.

"That is not your concern, Arbiter. Now, can I assume that you are prepared to leave very soon?" 'Fulsamee bristled, and fought to keep his temper in check. Had he still been Supreme Commander, 'Vadumee would not have dared talk to him in such a disrespectful manner. 'Fulsamee would have loved to mention this to the Commander, but instead gave a stiff nod. "Good. Let us not delay this mission any longer than need be." 'Vadumee turned on his heel, walked aft of the Phantom, and rapped twice on the shiny purple hull. The back of the Phantom hissed and lifted up, revealing the interior of the dropship. A Sangheili stood in the entryway, beckoning the three warriors in. The Arbiter stepped onto the metal ramp, and disappeared within the shadowy bowls of the ship.

--

"When we joined the Covenant, we took an oath!" 'Fulsamee glanced up upon hearing the lines that he had recited so often to his warriors. Now the words came from a different source—a white-armored Sangheili.

"According to our station! All without exception!" The Sangheili warriors within the Phantom's compartment answered back with the lines they had memorized since childhood. It had been less than two units since their Phantom had departed from the holy city of High Charity, and already the Sangheili had been alerted that they would soon be arriving on the planet, Threshold, in the heart of the heretic's base.

"On the blood of our fathers," 'Vadumee continued, "on the blood of our sons, we swore to uphold the Covenant!"

"Even to our dying breath!" The white-armored Commander was now making his way towards the back of the Phantom, past the line of Unggoy stationed in the middle.

"Those who would break this oath are heretics, worthy of neither pity, nor mercy! Even now, they use our lords' creations to broadcast their lies." He gave a piercing stare to the pair of Unggoy that were squabbling, then turned to face the Sangheili warriors.

"We shall grind them into dust!" 'Vadumee's eyes flashed with pride.

"And continue our march to glorious salvation!"

After the Commander had ensured that every one of his warriors were prepared, he loped over to the Arbiter. "This armor suits you," he said quietly, "but it cannot hide that mark." 'Fulsamee straightened up.

"Nothing ever will." 'Vadumee leaned in closer, his voice lowering to a whisper.

"You are the Arbiter, the _will_ of the Prophets. But these are my Sangheili. Their lives matter to me, yours does not."

"That makes two of us," 'Fulsamee said evenly. The white-armored Sangheili studied him, and cocked his head.

"Hmm…" was all he had time to say, before the pilot broke in over the ship's COM channel.

"Leader, there is no doubt; a storm will strike the facility." As if to prove this statement, the Phantom shuddered as gusts of wind blasted its hull.

"We'll be long gone before it arrives," 'Vadumee assured his warriors calmly. Seconds later, 'Fulsamee felt the dropship tilt upwards, and slow to a stop.

"Good luck, brothers," 'Vadumee said, as the Sangheili and Unggoy dropped out of his Phantom. The Arbiter stepped towards the gravity beam, looked back at the Commander, and nodded to him. Surprisingly, Vadumee nodded back—then the world turned a brilliant purple. 'Fulsamee dropped out of the Phantom and landed on a strange structure. "Warriors, prepare for combat!" 'Vadumee advised over the COM. The Arbiter grabbed his energy blade off of his belt, and activated it in a flash of blue and white plasma.

**--**

**A/N:** I must first off thank Nythmare, who is my beta reader. She did an excellent job looking this chapter over, and I appreciate it. Second, I'm so sorry that this chapter took so long. Writers block is incredibly frustrating…Anyways, as you know, Halo its characters are © Bungie and Microsoft Studios. I do not own any of them.

**Reminder:**

Kig-Yar: Jackal

Sangheili: Elite

Lekgolo: Hunter

Unggoy: Grunt

Huragok: Engineer


	5. A Whisper in the Storm Preview

**Chapter 5: A Whisper in the Storm**

**(Preview Version)**

"We are the arm of the Prophets, Arbiter, and you are the blade." 'Vadumee's voice sounded amid the chatter of the Sangheili pilots, via the COM channel. "Be silent and swift, and we shall quell this heresy without incident." _If all goes according to plan, '_Fulsamee thought. But in the midst of battle, nothing ever went as expected—you had to anticipate anything. A warrior who believed that everything would go smoothly wouldn't last long.

"Come, Arbiter!" 'Tolkamee's voice interrupted his thoughts. The black-armored Sangheili was waiting expectantly by a ramp. The Arbiter complied, following his warrior down the walkway. As he did so, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of foreboding at the whole situation.

Once at the bottom of the ramp, he noted that four Sangheili and two Unggoy were standing at attention, awaiting his orders.

"See if you can open that door," he said to 'Tolkamee in low tones, indicating the airlocked door to their left. The Sangheili nodded, and loped up to the door, pausing in front of the control panel. Silence descended upon the group as Tolkamee's slender fingers flew effortlessly over the panel's screen, trying to crack the code as quickly as possible. It was in this silence that the COM channel crackled to life, and Rtas 'Vadumee's voice once again implored advice that was already known to 'Fulsamee.

"The storm has masked our approach, and has their local battlenet in disarray. We have the element of surprise…for now." As the Commander spoke the last word, 'Tolkamee let out a grunt of satisfaction, and a moment later, the airlocked door opened. Without another word, the black-armored warrior drew his particle rifle, and stepped into the room. 'Fulsamee turned and made a quick head count, already realizing that six Sangheili were far too many warriors for the mission at hand. Instead, he glanced at the Special Operations Sangheili nearest to himself, and wordlessly signaled that he was to accompany them on the mission. The black-armored warrior halted in front of him, and his mandibles parted in an eager grin. He held his hand up in a ceremonial salute.

"Quark 'Fre'helmee, Holy Arbiter. It is truly an honor to fight by your side." The Arbiter repeated the gesture, and then turned back to the remaining Sangheili and Unggoy.

"You two!" He barked at the startled "grunt" soldiers. "You are to accompany me on this mission." The Unggoy glanced nervously at each other, then waddled in after their superiors. 'Fulsamee turned back towards the four remaining officers. He could almost taste their disappointment hovering in the air like a thick fog. "Brothers," he stated, "though you are not to accompany me inside the structure, you have an equally important duty: to ensure that our main exit remains open. We need to be ready for a quick retreat." The Sangheili nodded grimly. They knew of the consequences that failure would bring. "Good luck," the Arbiter said, saluting his warriors. He then turned around, and entered the small room within the airlocked doorway. As the Arbiter took his position next to 'Tolkamee, who was stationed near the front of the room, the door behind him hissed noisily and started to shut. Likewise, the door in front of them also hissed, in preparation for opening. 'Fulsamee deactivated his energy blade, instead grabbing a plasma rifle from the hook on his silver armor.

"Engage active camouflage," 'Tolkamee instructed, his deep voice resonating within the small room, "reveal yourselves only after the Arbiter has joined battle with the enemy." 'Fre'helmee, as well as the two Unggoy, complied. Within seconds, their bodies began to fade away, until the only thing that remained was the slight glow of their weapons.

It was during this moment that the COM channel once again sprang to life.

"You may wish to do the same, Arbiter," 'Vadumee's voice filled the room. "But take heed: your armor system is not as…_new_ as ours. Your camouflage will not last forever." The COM crackled as the Commander signed out. 'Fulsamee shook his head and gripped his plasma rifle. It seemed as if 'Vadumee couldn't resist reminding the Arbiter who was now in charge, and it annoyed him to no end. Nevertheless, he activated his own camouflage, and not a moment to soon, for seconds after he did so, the door in front of him opened revealing the interior of the heretics' structure. 'Fulsamee did a quick scan of the room, and spotted a strangely armored Sangheili to his immediate right, as well as two Unggoy near a ramp that led into the upper level of the structure. Silently, he ran up behind the Sangheili and dealt a spine-cracking blow to the base of the heretic's neck using the butt of his plasma rifle. The heretic gurgled, then dropped lifelessly to the ground. Two more muted cracks later, and the Unggoy also lay unmoving on the cold, uneven floor. 'Fulsamee stood up from where he was crouched, and peered at the corpses of the former members of the Covenant. The Sangheili was dressed in bronze colored armor, and had a strange mask on his face. Four stings, as they were known to the Covenant, protruded from the heretic's back. The Unggoy were also dressed in similarly colored armor, but unlike those in his squad, they wore blue-white rebreathers on their backs that glowed brightly. The Arbiter stepped back from the heretic's bodies, and with slight alarm, noticed that he was becoming more and more visible. Suddenly, with a quiet hum, his camouflage flickered, then gave out. Instinctively, he stepped into the shadow of the walkway looming overhead, gesturing to his warriors that they should sweep the remaining perimeter. And they did just that, silencing another heretic Sangheili in the process. Once he was certain it was clear, 'Fulsamee darted out from under the walkway, and pressed his back to the wall near the far right-hand corner of the room, easing his way up the ramp. After reaching the top, he walked briskly over to the corner of the walkway, so that he was concealed in its shadows. 'Tolkamee materialized next to him.

"Arbiter," he whispered so quietly that 'Fulsamee had to strain his ears to hear him, "there are several more Sangheili and Unggoy below. I would normally advise that we stick to the far corners of the room, but it seems that they have sentries posted everywhere." The Arbiter grimaced. So much for the element of surprise.

"Then our best option would be a direct frontal assault," he whispered back. Spread the word: have the Unggoy station their turrets accordingly, and be prepared to open fire."

"Yes, Arbiter," 'Tolkamee replied, already motioning to 'Fre'helmee and the two Unggoy. The Arbiter walked quietly over to where the deceased heretic lay, kneeled down, and picked up the Carbine that sat next to him. He hesitated, then out of respect, inclined his head towards the fallen Sangheili. 'Fulsamee then glanced over towards his warriors, and, noting that they were all in position and awaiting is orders, stood and peered through the sight of his Carbine. The path below had several small structures strewn about, as well as two glowing conveyer belts complete with energy barrels. Quite suddenly, a single heretic Unggoy shuffled into his line of sight. He wasted no time in firing. A sharp _crack _echoed throughout the room, and the Unggoy dropped to the ground, its iridescent blue blood coating the surrounding area. The rest of the Arbiter's warriors opened fire on the unsuspecting Heretics, knowing that they would not remain confused for long. Indeed, within the next few seconds, the Sangheili returned fire, showering the walkway with blue plasma. Bright purple crystalline needles followed shortly after, popping as they hit the Arbiter's shields. It was a sure sign that the Unggoy had just entered the fray.

It was several moments before 'Fulsamee growled angrily, and gnashed his mandibles together. The Unggoy were easy enough to pick off with his Carbine, but the Sangheili were a different matter entirely. As soon as a single shot was fired, they would duck behind the structures surrounding the conveyer belts below, making it nearly impossible for him to kill them. Even with 'Tolkamee's particle rifle, they were making slow progress. It was time for a different tactic.

"'Tolkamee!" The Arbiter shouted over the whine the plasma fire, dropping his carbine in the process. "Remain on the walkway with 'Fre'helmee and the Unggoy, and give me supporting fire!"

"Yes, Excellency!" He replied without looking away from the pathway below. His rifle hissed as it discharged another round, causing an unlucky Sangheili to topple over backwards as the beam sliced through his armor's shields and penetrated his skull. 'Fulsamee saw his warrior grin slightly with satisfaction. The Arbiter then grabbed the energy blade from his belt and leapt over the edge of the walkway, absorbing the impact with his knees. It was at that point that chaos quickly took hold of the situation, and it seemed unlikely that it was ever going to release it.

--

**A/N: **Hope you guys like the preview! (And I do apologize for taking so long. This is me trying to pathetically make up for it.)

The last sentence doesn't exist in the actual chapter—I just had to cut the preview off, and that seemed like a perfectly logical way to do so.

Anywaaayyysss….the chapter is close to being done. As soon as it is, I'm going to pm it to my wonderful Beta, Nyhtmare, and when she is finished checking it over, I'll post it up here. :)

**By the way, yes, I know that the Covenant equivalent of the human sniper rifle is called the Particle BEAM Rifle. It's just that the "beam" part of it sounded too human-y, so I just took that part off. After all, this is a story focused solely on the war through the eyes of a Covenant soldier. Therefore, I strive to only use Covenant terms. **

**This title is (c) Bungie.**


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